Waypoint launcher like in X-com

[scamp]

In Xcom the greatest weapon ( and the most fun ! ) was the waypoint launcher.  It was a unique weapon that you would only find on the most highly decorated alien officers with enough intelligence to use them. How did it work ?
Before launching the weapon, you would set waypoints ( maximum 8 waypoints ) and the bomb would explode if it hit anything in between the waypoints ( hidden / out of sight civilians / aliens ) or it would explode at the final waypoint. The weapon has roughly the power of a plasma grenade but it's the primitive guidance system which really rocked on this weapon.

Hereby my request to implement this weapon in the game. This weapon should only be made available near the end of the game since it's very destructive. The most funny thing is when aliens start to use this weapon, it catches you by surprise every time !

[geever]

Simply: Nooooooooooooooooooooo!

This is a strategy game. Why don't you request a green button labeled Win?

-geever

[BTAxis]

Indeed, the waypoint launcher will not be in the game by design.

[scamp]

ok ok ... it was just a request. I might program one into the game anyway, for personal use.
The waypoint launcher isn't a 'win button' by the way. It takes skill to use, and many things can go wrong with it ( including blowing your own team up ). Don't forget that the ennemy will also have a waypoint launcher which they will use to keep shelter in their UFO's and shoot you from distance.

[Mattn]

you can of course create mods on your own - we might also add the code changes to the engine. but if the weapon doesn't fit the tech tree it won't make it into the singleplayer campaign game. it would be cool if you would publish your changes in the mods forum.

[Duke]

@geever:
X-COM had it and it did NOT break the game.
Admittably, I kinda disgusted the animation as a projectile with 90 degree turns back then

Considering today's micro-copter-drones, it's not unrealistic at all anymore.

So if scamp comes up with the code and a *smooth* animation, why not ?
We can always adjust the damage if that weapon becomes too powerfull.

[Destructavator]

I think if something like it but different with some original twist on the implementation was put into the game, it would be nice, but if it was more like a carbon-copy that worked just like in the original XCOM I would be disappointed and speak up against it.

What would be quite a surprise would be if the aliens had it first, but later into the game, so that once the player's forces got more powerful and better equipped, the aliens would step things up with such a special weapon.

[vedrit]

Just a correction. According to the weapon info (from what I can remember) the weapon was really more of a waypoint guided mini-nuke. It was WAAAAAAAAAAY more powerful than any grenade.

My opinions why it didnt break XCOM bwas 1) cost of the ammo, 2)weight of the weapon, plus reloads 3)TUs it cost to use it, 4) It only appeared in late game, towards beating it.

[odie]

Simply: Nooooooooooooooooooooo!

This is a strategy game. Why don't you request a green button labeled Win?

-geever

Haha.... WIN button. ^.^v

In Xcom the greatest weapon ( and the most fun ! ) was the waypoint launcher.  It was a unique weapon that you would only find on the most highly decorated alien officers with enough intelligence to use them. How did it work ?
Before launching the weapon, you would set waypoints ( maximum 8 waypoints ) and the bomb would explode if it hit anything in between the waypoints ( hidden / out of sight civilians / aliens ) or it would explode at the final waypoint. The weapon has roughly the power of a plasma grenade but it's the primitive guidance system which really rocked on this weapon.

Hereby my request to implement this weapon in the game. This weapon should only be made available near the end of the game since it's very destructive. The most funny thing is when aliens start to use this weapon, it catches you by surprise every time !

I rmbr this weapon. Never liked it nor think it is good.

For one, it was a darn devastating weapon if i did not rmbr wrongly = way more powerful than JUST a plasma grenade.

Since this is not X-com but one inspired by x-com - aka. Turn based 4x squad, Alien vs Human game, we should continue to have new interesting weapons, whilst being as original as possible. Dun think taking an idea from X-com would be original.....

PS: plus.... I dun like tat weapon in Xcom at all aniwae. lol.

[Mattn]

and you should always keep in mind that we don't have to add the weapons into our standard campaign... but we have a script system which allows gamers to create their own campaigns. so why not add weapons that are a) multiplayer only or b) user created campaign only.

if btaxis and/or winter don't like the idea for the official campaign they won't get included there - but that doesn't mean that we don't include them into the game.

[BTAxis]

Mind you, you'd also have to write AI scripts for this weapon, probably.

[mattheus]

I would also like to have such weapon. Waypoints count should not be higher then 3 or 4, but it should be heavy weapon and costly ammo. Soldiers should hold only up to 3 or 4 shots for it, like anti-tank weapons like Carl Gustav. XCOM Apocalypse had also powerful launcher at end but it had only one waypoint. Other possibilty is to implement something like Homing Missile from Worms. UFO is not an artillery game, I know - but some kind of indirect artillery fire would make game much better in later stages were enemies are really tough. Unfortunately we still have no really tough enemies (2x2 monsters and something like lobstermen?).
You know, South Korea decided to field 20 mm calibre programmable grenade launcher. On side of weapons soldiers can program how long distance rounds will travel before they will explode. With such weapons can easily kill targets behind corners or cover. Its current technology on simple small grenade launcher, heavy antitank weapons currently wont allow this, but in few years it will be possible. Also rounds with IR target recognicion. In reality they will probably be forbid because they could hit civilians, but its possible to make.

[scamp]

There's a lot of programming involved in making this weapon. It certainly isn't impossible but to do this from scratch without any knowledge of the game engine ( like BtAxis says this weapon ( specifically the ammo for it ) requires some form of AI and it should not always hit the target, it should have a small "internal failure" of something like 10% which would make the weapon dangerous to use , and only considered after tactical consideration ). Yes, the maximum ammo per squad should be limited to 2-3 , don't want USA-type warfare out there.  I will wait for a few more people who would like this weapon, maybe we can then organize something.

[Darkpriest667]

Simply: Nooooooooooooooooooooo!

This is a strategy game. Why don't you request a green button labeled Win?

-geever

you must have never had idiots that would accidentally shoot the wall and kill half of the team....

it wasnt a garuntee win.. and remember the aliens had them too.

[s300pmu1]

There's a lot of programming involved in making this weapon

There's a lot of programming involved in making a game, too.
The weapons is quite cool and well within reach - say, in an incarnation of a hovering drone flying a preprogrammed path. You have seen the Cypher drone on TV, have you not?
As for the drawbacks of such weapon which would urge the player to use it sparingly - they have been described by others above.

I do temember the joy of having used this weapon successfully at a critical moment of the game, and the utter sorrow of having missed something that made it go off prematurely and at wrong location.

I'd say that weapons made up for about 7% of overall fun of playing the game.